Telangan Bill burnt in Bhogi fire

Sankranti, the first major festivities of the year, kicked up anti and pro Telangana protests after copies.

Update: 2014-01-14 09:20 GMT
APNGOs president P. Ashok Babu burns throes the copies of AP Reorganisation Bill into the customary bonfire on Bhogi, the first day of the three-day Sankranti festivities, in Ongole on Monday. - DC

Hyderabad: Sankranti, the first major festivities of the year, kicked up anti and pro Telangana protests after copies of the draft AP Reorganisation Bill were burnt by Samaikyandhra protagonists on Monday in traditional Sankranti bonfires at different places in Seemandhra as a mark of protest against the division of the state.

In retaliation, Telangana activists burnt effigies of Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, APNGOs president P. Ashok Babu and others in Warangal, Karimnagar and other parts of Telangana.

Copies of the Bill, termed as “useless”, were thrown in the Bhogi bonfire — Bhogi festival or Bhogi is the first day of Sankranti and is celebrated in honour of the rain god. Useless wooden household articles and cowdung cakes are thrown in the “Bhogi mantalu”?(bonfire) as per tradition.

TRS floor leader Etela Rajender, TRS deputy floor leader T. Harish Rao, TRS legislator K.T. Rama Rao and other Telangana leaders, including employees’ leader Srinivas Goud, condemned burning of the Telangana Bill as a “psychotic act”?and demanded that the government book cases against the erring leaders.

APNGOs, meanwhile, have called for burning of copies of the draft Telangana Bill and a two day bandh on January 17 and 18. As announced earlier, On Monday, Ashok Babu and other APNGOs leaders organised protests in Ongole and other parts of Seemandhra and burnt copies of the draft Bill. “The bifurcation is politically motivated. It will affect employees and students most. MLAs and MPs should defeat the Telangana Bill. The last ball has to be hit by MLAs and MPs,”?remarked a leader.

The draft Bill was burnt at Hanuman Junction, Gudivada, and other places in the Seemandhra region. Congress MP Magunta Srinivasula Reddy, TD leader Karnam Balram, MLA Dasari Bala Vardhana Rao and others participated in protests in Ongole, Hanuman Junction on the VijayawadaVisakhapatnam national highway in Krishna district, Gudiwada, against the Bill while raising slogans in favour of Samaikyandhra.

Harish Rao, meanwhile, criticised APNGOs and Seemandhra leaders for not sparing a major festival. “Seemandhra leaders exposed their true colours and want to continue to loot the Telangana region. They did not even spare a major festival. It shows their demonic attitude,”?he said.

Demanding the DGP to order booking of criminal cases against those who had burnt the Telangana Bills, he said that burning of Telangana Bill was an insult to the President of India and architect of Indian Constitution, Dr B.R. Ambedkar.

“Police remained mute spectators and in fact laid out red carpets for the agitators. When cases are booked against us for burning Chief Minister’s effigies, why is the DGP remaining a mute spectator when the Telangana Bills are burnt? He should immediately order booking of criminal cases against the erring leaders,”?he added.
 

Similar News